Book Spotlight: Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

Whisper the Dead
The Lovegrove Legacy
Book Two

Alyxandra Harvey



Genre: YA, YA historical paranormal, Witches


Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date of Publication: October 7, 2014


Word Count: 100,000






Book Description:

Gretchen is struggling with her newfound gift as a Whisperer; the constant buzzing in her ears from detecting spells is more frustrating than fun, especially when she is spending time with one of the Order of Iron Nail’s Keepers, the icy but strikingly handsome Tobias Lawless.

But while Gretchen tries to hide the truth and resolve her feelings for him, London fades from beautiful and bustling to deathly silent …Something evil is once again menacing Mayfair, and Gretchen and her cousins must use their powers to prevent a horrible sacrifice



Available at Amazon: Amazon


Book Trailer: Trailer
  

About the Author:

Alyxandra Harvey lives in a stone Victorian house in Ontario, Canada with a few resident ghosts who are allowed to stay as long as they keep company manners. She loves medieval dresses, used to be able to recite all of The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson, and has been accused, more than once, of being born in the wrong century. She believes this to be mostly true except for the fact that she really likes running water, women’s rights, and ice cream.









                                                   Website | Twitter | Facebook

Book Spotlight: Divide by Jessa Russo

Divide
Jessa Russo

Genre: Young adult, fantasy, fairytale redux
Date of Publication: 4/17/14
Number of pages: 340


Cover Artist: Michelle Johnson of Blue Sky Designs 

Book Description:
From senior class president to dejected social outcast, with just the flick of a match.

After accusations of torching her ex-boyfriend’s home are followed by the mysterious poisoning of her ex-best friend, seventeen-year-old Holland Briggs assumes her life is over. And it is. But not in the way she thinks.

As Holland learns the truth about her cursed fate—that she is descended from the Beast most have only ever heard of in fairytales—she unites with an unlikely ally, good-looking newcomer Mick Stevenson.

Mick knows more about Holland’s twisted history than she does, and enlightening as it is to learn about, his suggestion for a cure is unsettling at best. Holland must fall in love with Mick in order to break the spell, and save their future generations from repeating her cursed fate. Having sworn off love after the betrayals of her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, this may be difficult to accomplish.

Complicating things further for Holland and Mick, time runs out, and Holland’s change begins way before schedule. With Holland quickly morphing into a dangerous mythical creature, Mick struggles to save her.

Should they fail, Holland will be lost to the beast inside her forever.

Trailer 

Amazon  | BN  | Kobo 


About the Author:

Jessa Russo believes in fairytales, ghosts, and Jake Ryan. She insists mimosas were created for Sundays, and that’s not up for discussion.  She’s obsessed with the great city of New Orleans—where she’s collected too many beads to count, eventually married her sweetheart, and visited graveyards they don’t include on maps.

She’s loud, painfully honest, and passionate about living life to the fullest, because she’s seen how abruptly it can be taken away.

What began as a desire for reading and writing young adult paranormal has bled into stories of all kinds. From fantasy to pre-dystopian to erotic contemporary, Jessa’s stories always include romance, though she’s given up on pigeonholing her work into a category or genre box.

Jessa was born and raised in Southern California, and remains there to this day with her husband (a classic car fanatic), their daughter (a Tim Burton superfan), and a Great Dane who thinks he’s the same size as his Chihuahua sister.
ENTWINED, the final installment of Russo’s Ever Trilogy, will be released later this year, as well as an erotic romance written under the pseudonym Parker Jameson, so please stay tuned!

Author Links:
GoodReads  | Website  | Twitter | Facebook  

Tour giveaway:

1book bundle that includes:

1 signed paperback of DIVIDE

1 signed paperback of EVER (Book One of The Ever Trilogy)

1 signed paperback of EVADE (Book Two of The Ever Trilogy)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Series Spotlight & Giveaway: Red Ridge Pack Series by Sara Dailey & Staci Weber

End Of Lies

Red Ridge Pack
Book 4

Sara Dailey & Staci Weber



Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Publication Date:  COMING SOON!

Web of Lies

Red Ridge Pack 

Book 3

Sara Dailey & Staci Weber

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Date of Publication: 12/20/12

About the Book:
In the midst of a struggle for control of his pack, eighteen-year-old werewolf enforcer-to-be Luke Stanton meets the one girl who will destroy everything…or complete him.

TANGLED
Eighteen-year-old Luke Stanton is focused, strong, and intimidating as hell. He has to be. As the future enforcer of Red Ridge, it will be his job to keep the other weres in line. So avoiding close friendships, pack drama, and especially pack females is in his best interest. He witnessed firsthand what love did to his father, so casual human hookups are enough.

Then she arrives: Scarlett Reed. She arouses something primal in him, something undeniable. But just as Luke gives himself permission to finally experience something real, the truth bursts free. The were beauty is harboring a secret so devastating it has the power to destroy him. At the same time, the pack is splintering over a battle for leadership, and Luke’s strength is needed more than ever. It is a time of upheaval, of the destructive power of lies. Everything he thought to protect is in danger: his family, his friends…and most of all, his heart.

Amazon | Boroughs Publishing Group  

Circle of Lies 

Red Ridge Pack 

Book 2

Sara Dailey & Staci Weber

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Date of Publication: 12/20/12

About the Book:
Life has always been easy for Aiden Wright. He’s smart, athletic, funny, and the ladies adore him. But when tragedy strikes, Aiden discovers the truth about who he really is, and his whole world comes crashing down around him. Aiden thought that being a teenage werewolf was going to be awesome, but it might just cost him the one girl who could make him whole.

Since her mother’s disappearance, Teagan Rhodes’s life has been littered with her father’s empty beer cans and his hollow promises to change. Convinced that others would only let her down, she keeps everyone at arm’s length—but resisting Aiden’s charm is proving to be more difficult than she thought. Throw in a psychotic werewolf hunter out to terminate the species, and one wrong move, one wrong decision could destroy everything.

Amazon | Boroughs Publishing Group  

Pack of Lies 

Red Ridge Pack 

Book 1

Sara Dailey & Staci Weber

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Date of Publication: 4/08/12

About the Book:
The last thing Allison Wright ever expected when she moved to Red Ridge, New Mexico was to come muzzle to muzzle with the wolf of her dreams.

Seventeen-year-old Allison Wright is convinced she’s losing her mind. Uncontrollable mood swings, hot flashes, and the urge to punch anyone who gets in her way are suddenly becoming everyday occurrences. Before her erratic behavior gets out of hand, Allison’s mother finally comes clean about her dark secret. Mom is a werewolf, and soon Allison and her brother Aiden will suffer the same fate. When Allison reaches her breaking point, the family leaves their life in Texas to move to Red Ridge, New Mexico where they rejoin the pack that Allison’s mother left behind almost 20 years ago.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Red Ridge is thrilled about Allison’s arrival, especially when she attracts the attention of the very handsome, very taken, soon-to-be alpha, Cade Walker. Little does Allison know, her mere presence is causing a rift in a once unified pack. Not only has Cade been forbidden from being with Allison by his father, the pack’s alpha, Cade’s girlfriend, Kendall Stuart, will stop at nothing to get Allison out of the picture. Well on her way to becoming the next alpha’s mate, Kendall expects to rule the pack by Cade’s side even if it means teaming up with a rogue werewolf with an agenda of his own. Determined to get rid of Allison permanently, when Kendall and the rogue join forces, all hell breaks loose and no one in the pack is safe, especially not Cade and his true mate.

Amazon | Boroughs Publishing Group

Born of Lies

Red Ridge Pack 

Book 0.5

Sara Dailey & Staci Weber

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Date of Publication: 7/4/13

About the Book:
After one night of wild freedom, Lillian Michaels must decide between the secret of her werewolf pack, her family, her word and true love.

The world changed for Lillian Michaels the day Marcus chose her. Gorgeous, strong fierce…and soon he would be alpha of her werewolf pack. But then the marriage was set. No choice. No looking back. Except, she did. Lillian started looking forward, too, and wondering if eighteen was too young to give away her life.

Certainly, it is tonight. A rock concert. She and her friend, intoxicating music, sweat, bodies, freedom…and him: Paul. The human bassist’s touch makes her soul sing like the strings of his axe, and everything is possible. Yet, Lillian’s parents, her secrets, her entire world lies elsewhere. Paul doesn’t even see what she is, what she can do. What she must do. This to-die-for human is not of her kind. And yet, something special, something terrifyingly perfect, something eternally true has been…born of lies.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Boroughs Publishing Group  

About the Authors:

Both Sara Dailey and Staci Weber are avid readers, English teachers, friends, wives and soccer moms. They have been teaching together for the past ten years and writing together for six.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, Staci Weber is a graduate of the University of North Texas. Staci is a junior high school teacher with an addiction to reading romance novels. She considers herself incredibly lucky to have a close family, some good friends, a fabulous husband and two beautiful little girls.

Sara Dailey co-authored the Red Ridge Pack Novels with her good friend and co-worker Staci Weber. She has a degree in literature from U of H Clear Lake and is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature. Sara is a native Texan and lives with her wonderful husband and son in League City, TX.

Author Links:

website | blog | Facebook | twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

GRAND PRIZE: A five-book subscription to our Boroughs Publishing Group's Lunchbox Romance line plus the first book in the series, Pack of Lies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway & Author Interview: Elixir by Anna Abner

Elixir
Red Plague Trilogy
Book One
Anna Abner

Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Mild Red Books
Number of pages: 200
Cover Artist: Sweet & Spicy Designs

Book Description:
The red plague has devastated the human race, turning billions of people into zombies with red eyes and an insatiable hunger for human flesh. The virus sweeps through the population so quickly a possible cure is left to rot. Seventeen-year-old Maya Solomon may be the only survivor who knows where it is. But to reach the lab in Raleigh, North Carolina she will have to outrun the infected boy tracking her every step and cross into a city swarming with monsters.

Paranormal Romance Fans for Life would like to extend a warm welcome to Anna Abner, author of Elixir.  

Anna, first please tell us where you are from and where/who did your love for writing come from?

I was raised in southern California, but after marrying a U.S. Marine I moved around a lot.

I have written stories for as long as I can remember. I still have short stories I wrote in third and fourth grade, but it wasn’t until I won a writing contest in fifth grade and had my story “published” and bound that I realized I wanted to be a writer.

Can you say that your journey to publication was difficult? If so, what were the hardest moments to get through?

I wouldn’t say it was difficult, but it was long! I spent about ten years writing and attempting to get published the traditional route. About two years ago I decided to take control of my own career and self publish.

How do you overcome i-suck-it is, that little voice in your head that tells you your writing isn’t good enough?

I hear that voice so constantly, I would think something was wrong if I didn’t. Honestly, when I feel overwhelmed and doubt creeps in I force myself to focus on one thing at a time. The next scene, the next blog post, or the next e-mail. Then I tune out the negative thoughts and get back to work.

What is your dream vacation?

If I could plan any vacation I would take a luxury cruise to the Mediterranean. Just thinking about it makes me feel more relaxed.

Describe your writing style in five words.

Scary, sexy paranormal romance.

What movies are you currently excited to see?

I’m super excited to see Divergent, Mockingjay Part 1, and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

What are you currently reading?

I just finished reading Divergent by Veronica Roth. Next up is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

If you weren’t a writer, what other careers would you pursue?

If I could be anything, I’d be an archeologist. That is so fascinating to me. I love studying history.

For people who haven’t read your novel, how would you summarize the plot?

The red plague has devastated the human race, turning billions of people into zombies with red eyes and an insatiable hunger for human flesh. The virus sweeps through the population so quickly a possible cure is left to rot. Seventeen-year-old Maya Solomon may be the only survivor who knows where it is. But to reach the lab in Raleigh, North Carolina she will have to outrun the infected boy tracking her every step and cross into a city swarming with monsters.

What are two of your pet-peeves?

People who say they hate chocolate (the audacity!) and Mary Sue heroines (ugh!).

To you, what makes a good story?

The characters. I like fun and interesting plots, but good characterization wins me over every time. I love experiencing a hero’s redemption or a heroine’s awakening. That’s why I read stories.

What usually turns you off about a story?

That’s easy! Characters I don’t care about. The story could have the most intricate and exciting plot, but if I don’t care what happens to the main characters I can’t finish it.

If you could collaborate with any author, who would you choose, and why?

I’d love to collaborate on an anthology with one of my favorite authors, like Kresley Cole, JR Ward, or Patricia Briggs.

What is on your night stand?

A sparkly fairy figurine, a framed photo of my hubby and I kissing on our wedding day, and a stapler.

What is your favorite book?

I like so many books, but the one I have re-read the most and still love like the first time I opened it is JR Ward’s Lover Awakened. Zsadist and Bella’s story changed my life.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Anna. We really enjoyed the insights. Good luck with Elixir.

Thanks so much for letting me stop by and chat!

About the Author:

One of my first memories is dangling over the arm of our living room sofa telling myself a post-apocalyptic survival tale in which my mother and I were the last two people on earth. It was so fun, I never stopped telling stories. In high school, I faked being ill so I could stay home to work on a novel about a nanny who falls in love with her boss' bad boy nephew.
As an adult I earned a college degree, got married, and had a child, but I never stopped writing. It only got more fun. I wrote through my lunch breaks at work. I wrote on the treadmill at the gym. Eventually, I had dozens of short stories, novellas, and full-length novels piling up on thumb drives and in plastic tubs.
Now, I'm ready to share my stories with you, starting with The Dark Caster Series and the Red Plague Trilogy. I hope you love reading them as much as I loved writing them!

Author Contacts:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Giveaway- 5 ecopies of Elixir by Anna Abner (Available in pdf or epub formats - winner’s choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blog: The Appeal of Evil by Pembroke Sinclair

The Appeal of Evil
by Pembroke Sinclair

Publisher: Booktrope
Publishing Date: January 17, 2014
Genre: YA, Paranormal

Guest Post from author Pembroke Sinclair:

I have always been intrigued by the notions of good and evil, angels and demons.  When I was an undergraduate in college, I took a 17th century poetry class and read Paradise Lost by Milton.  His portrayal of the Devil fascinated me.  It made me think about what it meant to be “good” and what it meant to be “evil” and how the lines between were often blurred.

I remember distinctly the professor asking the class what we thought the Devil looked like.  There were the general answers of being large and red with cloven hooves and a pitchfork.  He just smiled, then asked us what we thought angels looked like.  We answered that, and then he commented that Lucifer looked just like an angel.  After all, that’s what he was before The Fall.  Over time, his looks were altered, but he was very distinctly angel in appearance.

That concept just stuck with me, and I often wondered if Lucifer ever had second thoughts about what he’d done; if he ever sat in Hell thinking, “Well, that really wasn’t a good idea.”  Isn’t that the first step down the road of forgiveness?  Granted, he would have to ask to be forgiven, which he never did because his pride was much too great.  That and his jealousy.  He really doesn’t like humans.

But the point for me is that good and evil really are never as clear cut as we want them to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure the Devil is plenty evil, but he knows how to be good, and if he wanted to, he could probably be good again.  Angels have the capacity for evil, as we’ve seen with Lucifer and his friends when they rebelled against God.  What’s to stop others from going down the same path?

The Spawn cartoon series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_McFarlane's_Spawn) also had an influence on my fascination with good/evil, angels/demons.  Spawn wants to return to Earth to get revenge on the man who murdered him and to be able to see his wife.  He makes a deal with a demon to be in Hell’s Army (Hell has to have an army because of the war raging with Heaven, which also has warrior angels that fight against the Hell Spawn), and he comes back to Earth and actually does some nice things for people.  He isn’t completely evil, but he isn’t completely good, either. 

Humans are much the same way.  Some of us strive for goodness, but we don’t always reach the mark.  Some people try to be totally evil, but they aren’t always successful.  Humans have to have both traits of good and evil to exist, and good can’t exist without evil and vice versa.  It is these things that make us who we are, that sculpt our personalities.

I really enjoy exploring those aspects that make us human.  Katie, Wes, and Josh are merely trying to find their place in the world.  They think they know what they are supposed to do, but as they make their way through life, they discover things are always as clear cut as they expected them to be, and they have to react accordingly.  Sometimes, they discover that their reactions aren’t what they expected them to be.

About the Book:
Katie wants to invest her heart and soul in love, but she may lose both to Hell.Katie, a senior in high school, is torn between loving the “good” guy, her childhood friend Wes who makes promises he doesn't keep and abandons her when she needs him the most, and the “bad” guy, the new kid at school Josh who is also a real demon from Hell. Katie wants someone who pays attention to her and puts her first, but what is she willing to give up to find him?


About the Author:

Pembroke Sinclair is a literary jack of all trades, playing her hand at multiple genres.  She has written an eclectic mix of fiction ranging from horror to sci-fi and even some westerns.  Born in Rock Springs, Wyoming--the home of 56 nationalities--it is no wonder Pembroke ended up so creatively diverse.  Her fascination with the notions of good and evil, demons and angels, and how the lines blur have inspired her writing.  Pembroke lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband, two spirited boys, a black lab named Ryder, and a rescue kitty named Alia, who happens to be the sweetest, most adorable kitty in the world! She cannot say no to dessert, orange soda, or cinnamon. She loves rats and tatts and rock and roll and wants to be an alien queen when she grows up.

Author Contacts:
Blog |  Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter  

Giveaway & Author Interview: Untethered by Katie Hayoz

Untethered
by Katie Hayoz
 
Genre: YA Paranormal
Number of pages: 350
Cover Artist: Nathalia Suellen
 

Our Interview with Katie Hayoz:
Welcome, Katie. We're thrilled to have you share a little bit about yourself today. Can we begin with where you're from, and from where/who did your love for writing come? 
KH: Although I live in Switzerland now, I’m originally from Wisconsin, USA. I’m not sure where my love of writing came from, but my love of reading came from my mom. Raising six kids must have been crazy, so for her, a book was a fabulous escape. I wanted to be the kind of person who could create that kind of escape for others.

PR: Can you say that your journey to publication was difficult? If so, what were the hardest moments to get through?
KH: I think for most writers the journey is difficult. I had no problem finding an agent who loved Untethered. However, 35 publishers all came back with the response that paranormal novels were “dead” and that while they enjoyed the book, they didn’t feel they could sell it. That was devastating. And even after it took 2nd
showed interest. So, I self-published. Being an indie author is both extremely rewarding and extremely difficult. I’m glad for the control I have, but it isn’t easy to make a name for myself among thousands of other authors.

PR: How do you overcome i-suck-at-this, that little voice in your head that tells you your writing 
isn’t good enough?
KH: I have an honest critiquing group. When something sucks, they tell me. But they also tell me when something is good, even if I sometimes having a hard time believing it. They’ve saved me from myself many times.

PR: What is your dream vacation?
KH: Oh, man, this is so lame, but my dream vacation would be one where I am in a fabulous chalet all by myself and I write a novel in a week. In the evenings I’d have popcorn and read. 

PR: Describe your writing style in five words.
KH: Complete and utter chaos. (Okay, that’s four words)

PR: What movies are you currently excited to see?
KH: In Switzerland, the Mortal Instruments just came out. I can’t wait to see that.

PR: What are you currently reading?
KH: As of writing this, Someone Different by Kate Hanney. I love it.

PR: If you weren’t a writer, what other careers would you pursue?
KH: My dream job would be to be a Flamenco dancer. 

PR: If you could create a holiday of your own, what would it be called?
KH: Everybody Clean Up Their Own Damn Mess Day. (Sorry, a mom thing.)

PR: For people who haven’t read your novel, how would you summarize the plot?
KH: Unofficial blurb: Sylvie thinks she knows what she wants and how to get it. But she gets a hell 
of a surprise.

PR: What are two of your pet-peeves?
KH: Wrong usage of apostrophes. The sound of a knife on a ceramic plate -- just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

PR: What makes a good story?
KH: Honesty. I think it is evident when a story comes from the writer’s gut versus when it’s just something shot off without depth. 

PR: What usually turns you off about a story?
KH: I hate when misogynistic or overly controlling men are seen as heroes.

PR: If you could collaborate with any author, who would you choose, and why?
KH: Right now, I’d love to pick Laini Taylor’s brains. She’s got such a unique and bold take on the worlds she creates. I adore her bravery.

PR: What is on your night stand? 
KH: A clock. A Dictaphone. Red pen and small spiral notebook. Pack of Kleenex. Lots of dust.

PR: What is your favorite book?
KH: My all time favorite is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Thank you so much for spending some time with us today, Katie. Good luck and great sales with Untethered.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Five ebook copies of Untethered by Katie Hayoz

One paperback Untethered by Katie Hayoz (US Shipping)

One pendant (US Shipping)

One charm (US Shipping)  

About the Book:
Sixteen-year-old Sylvie isn’t comfortable in her own skin.  In fact, there are times she can’t even manage to stay inside it.  But if there is one thing she’s sure of, it’s her love for Kevin Phillips. She’s willing to stake everything on it –her family, her friends, and possibly her soul.
Sylvie has been best friends with Cassie forever.  But everything is turned around when the boy Sylvie’s loved since fifth grade falls for Cassie. Devastated, Sylvie intends to get Kevin by any means possible, even if it involves treachery, deceit, and the dark side of astral projection. She is positive her plans will give her what she wants, but she doesn’t count on it all spiraling out of control.
Finalist in the Mslexia novel competition, Untethered by Katie Hayoz explores the intoxicating and dangerous world of jealousy and obsession when coupled with paranormal ability. It is a touching, sometimes funny, sometimes heart-breaking novel that speaks to the self-doubt lurking in us all. 

Amazon   Paperback on Amazon  Amazon.uk

About the Author:

Katie Hayoz was born in Racine, WI, the youngest of six kids. Originally, she wanted to become pope (for the awesome hat and fancy robes), but quickly realized reading was her true religion. Writing was always a hobby, but she decided to go at it seriously when she ended up in Geneva, Switzerland. Now she's constantly at her laptop in the small apartment she shares with her husband, two daughters, and two fuzzy cats. She devours YA novels like she does popcorn and black licorice: quickly and in large quantities.
 
Author Contacts:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook